The helmets were constructed in about a weeks time and in a similar fashion to the real helmets. [John] sourced some cheap motorcycle headgear and mounted the LEDs, their driving transistors, and ballast resistors to a 1/32″ (flexible) plexiglass sheet that sits face to face with the wearer. [John] walks through the whole process starting with a half inch grid drawn onto a paper template. The template is cut from the plexi using tin snips, then LED holes are carefully drilled in the thin plastic using various bits up to 13/64″. The 90 some odd LEDs are, one more time, fitted then hot glued in place and soldered in vertical columns to simplify things and prevent any short circuit. An Arduino Pro (via common emitter 2n2222 on/off circuits) provides some digital love to the 18 LED columns and is connected to a Velleman Sound-to-light kit which modulates the brightness of the whole visor based on da funk. Two pots are also wired to provide sensitivity and pattern selection to the human after all.

We can’t imagine the technologic setup is fresh after being subjected to the steam machine, high life, and whatever else for too long. Oh yeah, Some brighter LEDs could give the helmets night vision and make the whole thing come alive with emotion. Something about us is burnin to know what powers the helmets. Nice work [John]!

If you are looking to do some homework on these high fidelity rock’n roll outfits in the prime time of your life check out this very detailed example, a helmet construction video, or finish the costume off with some EL wire.

Check out some videos of these superheros rollin’ & scratchin’ after the jump!

No, not even a little. Something about the Daft Punk style and feel really cannot be found anywhere else. It would be near impossible to mistake even a half-assed Daft Punk style helmet, its just so recognizable and unique.

@KanchoBlindside: I couldn’t agree more. Daft Punk are a sellout electro-pop band now, so why are they so loved by hackers still? And the helmets… not original even by Daft Punk. They’re like the iPod: sure it was the most popular MP3 player, but it wasn’t the first.

And the summary… I ground my teeth down just trying to get through it… and now I have a bunch of crappy “unce-unce” music in my head. Time to play some LCD Soundsystem to cleanse my pallet.